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The good garden blog is about sharing garden inspiration and ideas from historic gardens around the world and some right next door. Garden stories explore garden history, design, and the garden people behind famous and not-so-famous gardens. My garden photographs span dozens of places across 5 continents. Please join me in celebrating good garden design.
In 1772, William Chambers wrote of Chinese gardens, ”Their scenes of terror are composed of gloomy woods, … The trees are ill formed..., and seemingly torn to pieces by the violence of tempests.” Perhaps no where are these scenes of “ill formed” trees more present than in the ancient art of penjing. If you enjoy Penjing, a scholar garden is the place for you and this collection is dazzling....
Read MoreThose of you who have traveled to China know this charming tradition. Hotels provide their western guests with a business card. On one side, it explains that you are a guest of the hotel and that if you are found somewhere in the city, to please return you to the hotel. On the other side is...
Read MoreNeither the oldest nor the most beautiful, The Humble Administrator's Garden is the largest and most well-known Suzhou scholar gardens. It contains elements that make Suzhou gardens famous - idealistic scenes influenced by fine paintings, and an harmonious integration of architecture and nature - my first stop after landing in China...
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